Apparatus for welding gear wheels



June 1, 1948. I. R. METCALF APPARATUS FOR WELDING GEAR WHEELS FiledSept. 27, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l T hm June 1, 1948.

l. R. METCALF APRARATUS FOR WELDING GEAR WHEELS I Filed Sept. 27, 1944 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 1, 1948 APPARATUS FOR WELDING GEAR WHEELSIrving R. Metcalf, Chicago, 111., assignor to Whiting Corporation,Harvey, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application September 27,- 1944,Serial No. 555,924

11 Claims.

The invention" relates to welding teeth on body blanks, for example, forproducing gears having gear-teeth welded onto the wheel-body.

In the" fabrication of gear-wheels it is advantageousto use teeth outfrom lengths of rolled or'w'r'odght bars which can be economicallyfabricat'ed to olose'toleranc'e and of metals or alloys having" the wearor other properties desirable in' t helteeth of the gears, and bodyblanks formedof other metal, for example, cast metal.

one object of the invention is to provide an apparatusfor expeditiouslywelding teeth onto the' body-blanka;

Another object of the invention is to provide a netho'd forfabricating-elements such as gearwh'eels'which'comprises welding teethout from bars' of snitable stock onto the body-blanks.

Qther objects of the invention will appear from'the detaileddescription.

Thefinvention' consists in the several novel features hereinaftersetforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

hr the drawings Figl. l'is' a front elevation of apparatus for weldingexternally tooth gears, parts being shown inf section and illustratingdiagrammatically'the'control' mechanism for the welding oper'ations. y

i 2 is aside elevation of the welding apparatus,parts'being showninsection.

3 is"'ajperspective of 'a'bar which is out into sections for forming theteeth to be welded onthe wheel-body.

Fig. 4 "'is\a'fview' on an enlarged scale of the tooth position inreadiness to be welded to the 75 Figs is a transverse section of theelectrode whichbarries' the tooth to be welded onto the body. 2

Fig.6 is a sideielevation of an apparatus for welding internally toothgears, parts being shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig.6, parts beingshown in section.

Fig.8 a detall section illustrated on an enlarged scale of a tooth inposition to be welded to the internal periphery of the rim of the wheelbo'dy.

Fig, 9 is a detail of the indexing device for the wheel-body.

In fabrication, a bar a of suitable stock which has been shaped, usuallyby' rolling so its sides and' outer' 'iacejcorres'pond to the toothprofile desired, an'dits baseis slightly V-shaped, as at a is out intoshort lengths to form gear-teeth a,'a1 idftheseteeth are welded to therim of the wheelfbody b,which maybe iormed by casting. 'Ihese'bars can'be accurately rolled or shaped with close tolerance sothat little or'nomachine work 'is'nec'es'sary' "in finishing the gear-wheels.

ihe apparatus for Welding the teethato the body b for producing anexternally toothed gear- WheeL'iIlustrated in Figs. .1 to 5 and 9,comprises generally a supporting frame; means for rotatably supportingthe wheel-body b; a hydraulle cally operable electrode which carriestheteeth and is adapted to move theminto weldingrelation with the rim onthe wheel-body; a second electrode which is adapted to be clamped. intocontacting relation with the wheel-body; an in-' dexing device forrotatably positioning the wheel--. body for successively welding teetharound the rim of said body; means for controlling the welding currentto the electrodes; andhydraulic means for controlling the movement ofthe electrodes for welding... r q

A shaft is J'ournaledin a bushing 16 of insulating material, which isconfined in a supporting frame M. b is secured by a key ll for rotationwith shaft [5 and is fixedly positioned longitudinally and removablyheld on said shaft by spacers l8 and a nut 19.

The indexing device for positioning the wheelbody'for successivelywelding teeth thereon comprises a crank 20 which is radially adjustablein one end portion of shaft 15 and fixed therein by a set screw 21, anon-rotatable disk 22 which is fixed by screws 23 to a ring 24 ofinsulating ma-.

terial which is fixed to the frame 14. The crank 2ll'slid'ably carries ahandle 25 which is provided with a slidable pin 26. Bin 26 is adapted toenter holes '21 in the disk 22 and to lock said crank, theshaft l5, andthe wheel-body on said shaft against rotation. The holes 21 are arrangedto index the Wheel-body into positions corresponding to the spacing ofthe teeth desired on said body. Several series of holes 2'1 oi difierentradii are provided for diiierent tooth spacing. The

crank 20 is radially adjustable so that the pin 26 can be set toregister with the holes 21 of any annular series for indexing thewheel-body for welding thereon a series of teeth in different numbers orwith different spacings on the body. An annular shoulder 23 on shaft 15is confined between disk 22 and the outer end of bushing 16 for securingsaidshaft against axial movement i the f ame V An e1ectrodef30 isprovided in its upper face with a recess whichis adapted to receive andretain a tooth a which isto be welded to the wheelbody b in alignedrelation with the rimb of said body. Electrode 30 is movable verticallyI from a position below the wheel-body so it can The hubof the.wheel-body.

3 secured by bolts 32 which extend through sleeves 33 of insulatingmaterial, for electrically insulating the electrode from said head. Head3| is provided with a guide 34 which is vertically movable in a slideway35 on frame I l. Electrode 3t and head 3! are shifted downwardly awayfrom wheel-body b for loading the electrode with the teeth and upwardlyto position the tooth for welding it to said body by hydraulic meanswhich comprises a cylinder 36 and a piston 42 in said cylinder andconnected by a stem or piston rod 43 to the head 3|. Cylinder 36 issupported on a thrust bearing 31 on the upper end of a stem 38 which isprovided with a screw thread 39 for engaging a nut 40 which is fixed ina forwardly projecting member 4! of the frame is. Cylinder 36 isprovided with a guide it which fits in a vertical slideway 45 in theframe It. A stop 42 is adapted to be engaged by head SI for limiting theupward stroke of electrode'3ll for the pitch radius on which the teeth aare welded to the wheel-body I). Stop 42 is formed on the screw 43 whichis adjustably locked by nuts 44 to the cylinder 36 so that the electrodeand the tooth carried thereby will be arrested in position for weldingthe tooth on the desired pitch radius. The cylinder 36 can be locked bya nut 45* into its adjusted position.

A second electrode 41 comprises a pair of sections or members 48 whichare adapted for clamping contact with the side faces of the rim 1: ofwheel-body b. Each electrode member .48 is secured to arm 49 by bolts 50and is electrically insulated from said arm by a plate 5i and sleeves52. Each arm 49 is fulcrumed by a pin 49' on a collar 53 which extendsaround and is supported by a screw threaded rod 54, one end of which isadjustably secured by nuts 55 in the frame it. Each collar 53 is clampedbetween nuts 56 on rod 54 so that the fulcrum pins 49" may be spacedapart and positioned for parallel engagement of the contacting faces ofthe electrode members 58 and the rim 1) of body I) or rims of differentthickness. The electrode 41 is operable into and out of clamped contactwith the wheel-body by a hydraulic cylinder 60 which has one of its endspivoted by a bolt 6| to one of the arms 4.9 and a piston 62 which isslidable in said cylinder and is provided with a stem 63 which ispivoted to the other arm d9. Fluid under pressure into one end ofcylinder 60 is adaptedto spread arm 49 and electrode members 38 awayfrom the rim of the wheel-body to re-- lease the wheel-body duringindexing movements, and fluid under pressure in the opposite end of thecylinder is adapted through arms 49 to press electrode members 41 intofirm contact with the side-faces of the rim b of the wheels. Weldingcurrent is supplied to the electrodes from a transformer 64 which isconnected by conductor saw the electrode 30 and by conductor 69 to bothof the electrode members 48. The Welding circuit is through theconductor 68, electrode 30, the tooth 11 therein, the wheel-body b,electrode member '48 and conductor 69.

The piston 52 is hydraulically operated in cyl-. inder 36 by fluid underpressure from a valve it which is connected by a pipe TI to a source offluid under regulated or predetermined pres sure such as a pump (notshown) and a return flow pipe '52. The casing of valve it is connected,by pipes l3, 14 to theends of cylinder es, respectively, foralternately delivering fluid" under pressure to and exhausting it fromthe opposite sides of piston 32. Valve 1!) is pro- 4 vided with portsl5, l6 which are adapted, by rtaticn, to supply fluid from pipe 13 toeither end of cylinder 36 and simultaneously exhaust it from the otherend of said cylinder for the twoway operation of piston 42 and electrode30.

a A valve 89 is connected to receive fluid under regulated or controlledpressure from a pipe 8i which is connected to a source of fluid underpressure and is connected to an exhaust pipe 82 for th'etwo wayoperation of the piston 52 in cylinder 69 which are adapted to shift themembers of electrode ii. Valve 8%! is provided with ports 22, 83 bywhich fluid under pressure from pipe 85 may be selectively conducted toeither of the pipes 84, 85 which are carried to the ends of cylinderBil, respectively, and by which fluid may be exhausted from either endof said cylinder.

The supply of welding current to the transformer G5 is controlled by atimer and contactor 63 which simultaneously close'and open contactswhich are adapted to connect line-conductors ill t0 the primary coil ofthe transformer 64.

The operation will be as follows: While the arms eeare spread apart, thebody b will be slipped onto the shaft l5 and secured thereon by spacersl8 and i9, so the-rim b will be vertically aligned with teeth a placedin the electrode 39. The electrode 3% while in its lowered position,will be loaded 'with -a tooth a. The

crank 23 will be rotated to secure the wheel body into an indexedposition. Valve Bilwill then be operated to deliver fluid under pressurethrough pipe 8 into one end of and exhaust fluid through pipe from theother end of cylinder This. will draw arms 49 together and clamp theelectrode members 48 into pres- 7 sure contact with the side faces ofrim b Valve it will be operated to deliver fluid under pressure pipe 73into the lower end of and to exhaust fluid via pipe 16 from the upperend of, cylinder 36. This will raise piston 52 and move electrode 3tupwardly until the base of tooth or in electrode 38 will be pressedagainst the outer periphery of rim 5 ofthe Wheel-body b, The weldingcircuit will then be closed at contacts 66 for a period determined bythe timer 61. and current from the transformer 34% will flow throughconductor 65, electrode member 48,7wheel-body b, tooth a; electrode 33,and conductor 68, until the tooth a has been welded on the rim 12 Thetimer will automatically open the welding current at contacts 66 at theend ofa predetermined period. During this welding, the corners of thebase of the tooth a and a portion of the rim 1) will be melted together,and metal will flow into 7 the V-shaped face on'the base of the tooth orwhile the tooth base is pressed toward the rim by the fluid incylindertfi until the head 3! strikes stop 52 which, will correct themovement of the tooth toward the rim b and control the weld toautogeneously join said tooth to said rim at the desired predeterminedpitch radius. Valve 85 will then be operated to spread electrode-members48, and valve Iii will be hydraullcally operated to lower electrode 30away from the welded tooth. indexed into position for the next tooth andthe electrode will be loaded with another tooth. The same cycle ofoperations of the electrodes and the. welding circuit will then berepeated for each succeeding tooth. a until the entire series of saidteeth has been welded onto the body I) to complete the gearwheel.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8. illustrate a modified form of the The wheel-body willthen be invention, for producing internally toothed gears, in which theindexing device, for the wheel body, the hydraulic mechanism forshifting the toothcarrying electrode, the clamping electrode, hydrauliccontrols, and welding circuit control are of the construction alreadydescribed. The wheelbody is provided with "a rim b having an internalperiphery to which the teeth a are welded, and'a hub which is secured onshaft l5 by spacers IB'and a nut 19. The tooth-carrying electrode 85 isprovided with a recess 86 for a tooth a, and is securedby screws 81 tobracket 88 which straddles the'shaft 1'5 and the spacers l8 on saidshaft, and hasa base 89 which is secured on and insulated from the head3'], which is supported for vertical movement and hydraulically operatedby a piston 42in a cylinder 38 as previously described.

The clamping electrode-members 48, their supporting arms 49, rod 54 onwhich said arms are adjustably supported, and the cylinder 69 and piston'62'which are of the same construction described, are mounted at oneside of frame 14, so that said members will pressure-contact thesidefaces of rim b A'n'auxiliary pressure device, for exerting pressureon the rim b in opposition to the upward pressure exerted by theelectrode 85 and the tooth therein, comprises a plunger 9| ofinsulatin'g material on the stem 92 'of a piston 93, and a cylinder '94in which said piston is slidable. This cylinder is supported from theframe l4 by a bracket 95 which is vertically adjustable in s'aidframe,to adapt thed'e'vice for rims of different diameters. The piston 93 isoperated by fluid; under pressure delivered into the opposite ends ofcylinder 94 by pipes 96, 91 which'may be connected to pipes 84, 85 sothat this auxiliary pressure will be conjointly controlled with theclamping electrodes 47.

In operation, the wheel-body, to which the teeth are to be welded, issecured on the shaft l5 while electrode 85 'is lowered, the clampingelectrode members 48 are spread apart, and the plunger 9! is in itsraised position out of engagement with the rim 1) of the wheel-body. Atooth a then is placed in the recess 86 of the electrode '85. Theplunger 9| of the auxiliary clamping device is then hydraulicallyoperated to engage the outer periphery of "rim b the clamping'ele'ctrodemembers 48 are hydraulically operated' into pressure-contact with theside-faces of rim b and the head 3 I, electrode 85 and the tooth thereinare hydraulically raised to press said tooth against the inner peripheryof rim b The welding circuit through electrodes 85, tooth a, thewheel-body and electrode members 48 is then closed to weld the base ofthe tooth on the inner periphery of rim b The stop 42' limits themovement of electrode-members 48 toward rim b and determines the pitchradius of the tooth. The electrode 85 is then hydraulically lowered, theelectrode-members 48 are spread apart, and the plunger BI is raised. Thewheel-body is then indexed to bring its rim into position for weldingthe next tooth thereon. This cycle of operations is repe'ated for eachtooth, until the gear-wheel is completed.

Thevertical adjustability of cylinder 36 adapts the machine for weldingteeth on wheel-bodies of difierent diameters. The adjustability of arms49'for the electrode-members", adapts the machine for pressure-contactof said members with wheel-bodies having rims of different widths. Theauxiliary pressure device adapts the machine for internally weldingteeth on the inner periphery of a wheel-body to produce internallytoothed gears. The adjustable stop 42 provides for forming the weldsbetween teeth and the wheel-body with a predetermined flow of metal toproduce different welds and, to weld the teeth on a uniform pitch radiuson each wheel-body and its adjustability makes it possible to accuratelycontrol such flow. The pressure contact between the clamping electrodeand the wheelbody and between the tooth and the wheel-body insure properconduction of current during the welding operations.

The invention exemplifies apparatus for expeditiously and uniformlywelding teeth out from a bar having a cross-sectional shape conformingto the tooth-profile of gear-teeth, to a wheel body which comprisesmeans for accurately controlling the welds to weld the teeth to thewheelbody "on a uniform pitch radius; which comprises a hydraulicallyoperated'tooth-oarrying electrode; and hydraulically operatedelectrode-members for pressure contact with the wheel-body; which isadjustable for Welding teeth on different pitch radii or rims ofdifferent diameters; and which is simple in construction and differentin operatioh.

The invention is not to be understood as limited to the constructiondescribed, since this can be varied within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.While the invention has been particularly'described for Welding teethonwheelbodies, it maybe used in welding teeth on other mechanicalelements.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire 'tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a body for weldingteeth thereon, a movable electrode provided with means for holdingiatooth thereon, fluid pressure operable-means for shifting said electrodeto move the tooth thereon into position for welding it to said body, asecond electrode; means for contacting said second electrode with saidbody, and means 'for passing electric welding current through saidelectrodes, tooth and body for 'welding the tooth on the body.

2. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a body for weldingteeth thereon, a movable electrodeprovided with means for holding atooth thereon, fluid pressure operable means-for shifting said electrodeto move the tooth thereon into position for welding it to said body,a'second electrode, means for contacting the second electrode'with saidbody, and means for'passing electric welding current through saidelectrodes, tooth and body for welding the tooth on the body, and meansfor controlling the movement of said first mentioned electrode 'towardthe body, during the welding operation.

3. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a body for weldingteeth thereon, a movableelectrodeprovided with means forholding a tooththereon, means for movably supporting and-moving said electrode to pressthe tooth thereon into position for welding'it to said body, a secondelectrode, means for contacting the secondelectrodewith said body, meansfor passingelectri'c welding current through said electrodes, tooth andbody for welding thetooth on the body, and a device for indexing thebody for successively welding teeth thereon, said device including anon-rotatable Wheel provided with means for variably indexing the bodyfor teeth having different pitch spacing. J'

4. Welding apparatus comprising, means for supporting a body for weldingteeth thereon, a movable electrode provided with means for holdingatooth thereon, fluid-pressure operable means for movably supporting andmoving said electrode to press the tooth thereon into position forwelding it to said body, a second electrode, fluid-pressure operablemeans for contacting the second electrode with said body, and means forpassing electric welding current through said electrodes, tooth and bodyfor welding the tooth on the body.

5. Welding apparatus comprising means for rotatably supporting awheel-body having a peripheral face on which teeth can be welded andside-faces, an electrode provided with a seat for holding a tooththereon, means for shifting said electrode to move the tooth thereoninto .position for welding it to the peripheral face on the Wheel-body,a second electrode comprising a pair of relatively movable members forengaging the side faces of said wheel-body, means for shifting saidmembers into contact with said side-faces, and means for passing weldingcurrent through said electrodes, tooth and body, for welding the toothon the body.

6. Welding apparatus comprising means for rotatably supporting awheel-body having an external peripheral face on which teeth can bewelded and side-faces, an electrode provided with a seat for holding atooth thereon, means for shifting said electrode to move the tooththereon into position to be Welded to the external peripheral face onthe Wheel-body, a second electrode comprising a pair of relativelymovable members for engaging the side-faces of said wheel-body,

' means for shifting said members into contact with said side-faces, andmeans for passing welding current through said electrodes, tooth andbody, for welding the teeth on the body.

7. Welding apparatus comprising means for rotatably supporting awheel-body having a peripheral face on which teeth can be welded,

an electrode provided with a seat for holding a V members intoengagement with said side-faces,

means for passing Welding current through said electrodes, tooth andbody, for welding the teeth on the body, and means forlimiting themovement of the tooth relatively to the body during each weldingoperation.

8. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a body for weldingteeth thereon, an electrode provided with means for holding a tooththereon, a movable support on which said electrode is mounted for movingthe tooth into position for welding it to the body, an adjustablysupported hydraulic cylinder, a piston in said cylinder for shiftingsaid support and electrode to shift the tooth into position for weldingit to said body, means on the cylinder for limiting the movement of saidelectrode and the tooth toward said body during the welding operation,and means comprising a second electrode having pressure contact with thebody, for passing weld-i 7 ing current through the electrodes, tooth andbody, for welding the tooth on the body.

9. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a wheel-body havingside faces, an internal peripheral face'on which teeth can be welded,and an outer peripheral face, a movable electrode provided with a seatfor a tooth, means for shifting said electrode to move the tooth thereoninto position for welding it to said internal face, means for engagingthe wheel-body in opposition to the pressure exerted thereon by saidtooth, a second electrode for engaging the side-faces of said body,means for shifting said second electrode into pressure contact with saidside-faces, and means for passing welding current through saidelectrodes, tooth and body, for welding the tooth on the body.

10. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a wheel-bodyhaving side faces, an internal peripheral face on which teeth can bewelded, and an outer peripheral face, a movable electrode provided witha seat for a tooth, means for shifting said electrode to move the tooththereon into position for welding it to said internal face, means forengaging the wheel-body in opposition to the pressure exerted thereon bysaid tooth, a second electrode comprising members for engaging theside-faces of said body, means for shifting said members into pressurecontact with said side-faces, and means for passing welding currentthrough said electrodes,

tooth and body, for welding the tooth on the body.

11. Welding apparatus comprising means for supporting a wheel-bodyhaving side faces, an

internal face, means for engaging the wheel-body in opposition to thepressure exerted thereon by said tooth, a second electrode for engagingthe side-faces of said body, hydraulic means for shifting said secondelectrode into pressure-contact with said side-faces, means for passingwelding current through said electrode-s, tooth and body, forwelding'the tooth'on the body, means for limiting the movement of thetooth'toward the inner peripheral face during the welding operations,and means for indexing the wheel for successively welding the teeththereon. V IRVING R. METCALF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent: V

UNI ED STATES PATENTS Number Martin Aug. 9, 1938

